![Bass Modes](https://staging.bothners.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/FI_BAss.jpg)
If you are serious about improving your bass playing, one of the most important things you can learn is what the Bass Modes are, and how to play them. To help you master the instrument, we’ve put together our simple guide to playing Bass Modes.
What are the modes?
f you’ve been playing bass for a while, you may have heard people talk about “the modes”. But, what exactly are the modes?
Before you can understand the modes, first you need to understand how the major scale is constructed.
In Western music, our smallest interval, or movement between two notes, is a semitone. So the movement from C to C# or from B to C is classified as a semitone. To play a semitone, you move from one fret to the fret directly next to it. When you take a bigger step, say from C to D, or from B to C#, you are moving a tone. To play a tone, you move from the fret you are on to two frets higher – so from the interval between fret 5 and fret 7 is a tone.
The major scale has the formula of Tone – Tone – SemiTone – Tone – Tone – Tone – SemiTone. Using that formula we can work out all the major scales. Let’s take a look at the D major scale.
D (+a tone give us) E (+a tone gives us) F# (+a semitone gives us) G (+a tone gives us) A (+a tone gives us) B (+a tone gives us) C# (+a semitone gives us) D
Now onto the modes
Once you understand how the major scale works, learning the modes is easy. If we play the D major scale starting on D, we are playing the ionian mode. If you start the scale on E, you will play the Dorian mode. If you look at the modes below, you will see that in each mode we use the same notes, but we play them in a different order.
Ionian: D – E – F# – G – A – B – C# – D
Dorian: E – F# – G – A – B – C# – D – E
Phrygian: F# – G – A – B – C# – D – E – F#
Lydian: G – A – B – C# – D – E – F# – G
Mixolydian: A – B – C# – D – E – F# – G – A
Aeolian: B – C# – D – E – F# – G – A – B
Locrian: C# – D – E – F# – G – A – B – C#
Shop bass guitar gear online now
-
- Out of Stock
Squier Affinity Jazz Bass Brown Sunburst
-
R6,495Original price was: R6,495.R4,610Current price is: R4,610.FREE DELIVERY - Select options
-
-
Fender Player Plus Precision Bass® – Maple Fingerboard – Cosmic Jade
-
R31,695Original price was: R31,695.R25,995Current price is: R25,995.FREE DELIVERY - Select options
-
- Out of Stock
Ibanez Mezzo SRMD200 4-String Bass Guitar – Sea Foam Pearl Green
-
R8,999Original price was: R8,999.R6,300Current price is: R6,300.FREE DELIVERY - Select options
-
-
- Out of Stock
Laney RB6 165-Watt Bass Amplifier
-
R10,695Original price was: R10,695.R7,485Current price is: R7,485.FREE DELIVERY - Select options
-
-
- Out of Stock
Fender LTD ED American Professional Jazz Bass – Maple Neck – Natural Roasted Ash
-
R45,595Original price was: R45,595.R40,125Current price is: R40,125.FREE DELIVERY - Select options
-
-
- Out of Stock
Fender 75th Anniversary Precision Bass – Maple Fretboard – Diamond Anniversary Finish
-
R25,395Original price was: R25,395.R21,080Current price is: R21,080.FREE DELIVERY - Select options
-
-
Cort Action Junior 4-String Bass Guitar – Open Pore Walnut
-
R5,395Original price was: R5,395.R3,885Current price is: R3,885.FREE DELIVERY - Select options
-
- Out of Stock
Fender Player Jazz Bass® Pau Ferro Fretboard & Black Finish
-
R23,495Original price was: R23,495.R17,795Current price is: R17,795.FREE DELIVERY - Select options
-